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City of Cañon City mulls ideas to make downtown area more inviting

A rendering of the Fifth Street gateway. (Courtesy of the City of Canon City.)

They met, they planned and now things are happening.

When the Cañon City Council met in January for its annual retreat to lay out the vision for the future of Cañon City, council members agreed that the city needs a well-defined vision and a plan to move toward that vision.

During Monday's regular council meeting, City Administrator Doug Dotson shared some of the things happening, and potentially about to happen, that will make the U.S. 50 corridor and downtown area an inviting and welcoming destination point for future guests.

"The council talked about how important it is that we start working on getting a 'front door' to the downtown on the highway," he said. "Our city engineer (Adam Lancaster) recently took the presentation to the Public Works Committee meeting and has been actively working with the Colorado Department of Transportation and is beginning to take the ideas from the downtown plan and begin to develop them."

Proposals include installing an arched gateway at two or three streets at Main Street and U.S. 50.

"Create Cañon City has stepped forward, and they've already started putting together and into motion ways to get this built," Dotson said. "I think it's really interesting that council has laid this out, we talked about it and there is momentum beginning to build to see something happen."

The plan also includes raised median strips on U.S.

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50 between First or Third streets and Ninth Street with landscape and wayfinding signage.

Dotson also discussed ideas of redeveloping the river corridor and initiating river corridor improvements. A piece of city-owned property near the former ice plant south of Veterans Park and north of the Arkansas River is being looked at by the city and possibly developers to provide outdoor seating and an entertainment area that would enhance the community and complement the Arkansas Riverwalk trail.

"There is something else that potentially could have a major impact on the community," he said. "In the city council's vision, they talked about a resort concept that would really stand out for Cañon City up by the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park."

He said a spa, hotel/resort or conference facility in that area could set Cañon City apart from surrounding communities. The State of Colorado's Regional Tourism Act has about $50 million available to fund up to two projects, he said.

"They are looking for extraordinary and unique projects, and I think if there is a definition of extraordinary or unique, what we have up there is exactly that opportunity," Dotson said. "In support of that, our staff will begin to look into water resources that might be able to support this kind of an activity."

Dotson said the process to obtain the funding is competitive. The application is due to the state by June.

Also during the meeting, council approved the following:

-- An application for a Special Event Liquor Permit for the Fremont Center of the Arts' s ninth annual Brew-Ha-Ha from 3 - 9 p.m. May 11 at Veterans Park. There will be standup comedy, live music and several brewers.

-- An application for a Special Event Liquor Permit for the BPOE Elks Lodge May 3 and 4.

-- An application for Modification of Premises for Michael's on Main to incorporate a lounge area within the establishment.